Blackhawks

Toews, Kane Likely To Stay On Same Line To Start Game 4

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(CBS) After being paired together in the Blackhawks’ 2-0 win against the Blues in Game 3 of the Western Conference quarterfinals on Monday, Chicago stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will likely both remain on the top line to start Game 4, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“As you go through a series you look for things that might possibly work,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said, according to the Tribune. “I thought that line was effective (Monday night). There’s a lot of ability there. We thought last year in the playoffs when they did get together, whether they started a series or a middle of a series, that they seemed to get excited about it. I know Toews would like to play with Kane, and we like that balance that it presents when they’re apart. Sometimes in a course of a series you try it.”

The pairing — along with Bryan Bickell — provides Chicago with its most dangerous of line, but the drawback is that the lines may not be as well balanced. After falling behind 2-0 in the series against St. Louis and knowing how difficult it can be to create chances against a quality, physical defense, Quenneville thought the gamble was worth it.

It paid off in Game 3, as Toews scored the game’s first goal in the 2-0 win. It turned out to be huge, as the only other goal was an empty-netter by Marcus Kruger.